Forvie National Nature Reserve

With some of the largest sand dunes in Britain, Forvie is one of Scotland's most dramatic stretches of coast. The mud flats of the Ythan Estuary provide a fast food refueling stop for many passing birds and the mouth of the estuary is a year-round haul out for seals. The wind and the tide are in charge here, and it's a great place to blow the cobwebs away with the chance of seeing some spectacular wildlife.

With the constant shifting of the dunes, layers of history have been hidden and then revealed, where the remains of a 12th century church stand firm in an ever-changing landscape. Bird life is plentiful at Forvie and you can watch the summer acrobatics of diving terns or the determined stabbing of the carrot-coloured beaks of wading oystercatchers.

A short, easy access trail with wheelchair-accessible picnic tables leads onto the reserve from the Forvie Centre, which has a classroom for educational use. There is also a bird hide at Waulkmill, cycle racks at the main car parks and a story trail to follow at the site of Forvie village. Waymarked paths varying in length from two to four miles can also be found at the reserve.

Gallery

Official Star Rating

Opening Times

Open All Year

Reserve open at all times. Some access restrictions apply in summer when the tern and eider breeding areas are closed to people but you can still get excellent views of these species.